General
dirt nap
What does dirt nap mean?
Slang for death; in naval aviation, specifically flying one's aircraft into the ground — low-level showboating ('flat-hatting') gone fatally wrong.
"Pull up or you're taking a dirt nap."
Origin
US naval aviation slang.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'dirt nap' mean?
It's slang for death. In naval aviation it specifically means flying your aircraft into the ground, often from reckless low-level flying.
What is 'flat-hatting'?
Flat-hatting is unauthorized low-level showboating flight; when it goes fatally wrong, a pilot 'takes a dirt nap.'
Is 'dirt nap' used outside the military?
The core term for death is used in general slang too, but the specific 'flew into the ground' sense comes from naval aviation.
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